Study Purpose:

To compare Bepanthen cream with no topical ointment

Intervention Characteristics/Basic Study Process:

Patients used Bepanthen on one side of the treatment field and used no topical treatment on the other side. Patients were instructed to not inform the physician of which region or field received the application of the cream, and they randomized their own application. Bepanthen twice a day began on day 1 of radiation therapy. Skin assessments were performed weekly during treatment and two weeks following treatment.

Results:

For both cancers, all skin reactions were more severe at completion of six weeks of radiation treatments, which was chosen as a reference point to standardize assessment data. No significant difference was observed in erythema, most desquamation, itch, or pain. No significant effect of any of the variables was found in regression analysis regarding erythema and desquamation.

Conclusions:

Bepanthen did not provide any significant benefit.

Limitations:

In patients with breast cancer, there were many different techniques of radiation therapy administration and use of bolus.

No information about patient adherence to the protocol was provided.

The two groups of cancers treated received different accumulative doses of irradiation.

Data was not separated for those who also received chemotherapy, which would affect skin toxicity.